Neliel's Resolve
by Allen the Musician
Summary: Everyone needs a reason to fight and for someone who abhores pointless fight the reason must be good. Nnoitra finally discovers which button to push to get Neliel to fight him. Ex-Espada Neliel finds herself again and a reason to fight. One-shot. R


Disclaimer - I do not own Bleach

A/N - Okay, so this is way outside of what I normally write but my best friend and I were watching the arc where Neliel makes an appearance and despite the fact that she was an Espada, I find that I really like her.

Neliel's Resolve

The Number Three Espada Neliel Tu Oderschvank was making her way through the occupied areas of Hueco Mundo. She had been ordered by Aizen-sama to search the world of the Hollow for Vasto Lorde, immensely strong Hollow that they could recruit to their cause and, much to her dismay, the Number Eight Espada had also been given this assignment.

Nnoitra was annoying on his best day but when sent out on assignment he became increasingly more obnoxious. The man was a loose cannon and Neliel found that she could never anticipate exactly what he was going to do however she always knew that it would be bad.

Today was no exception.

Neliel couldn't believe what she was seeing. That idiot Nnoitra had annihilated an entire Hollow settlement just to prove that he could. He was holding his weapon upright and there was a wide grin on his face. When Neliel asked him why he had done such a thing, even though Aizen-sama hadn't ordered them to, he justified his actions by saying that Aizen-sama hadn't ordered him not to kill them and if they were weak enough to be killed then they deserved to die. Smoke billowed from the area and bodies were lying all over the ground, it was a scene of complete and utter devastation.

Turning toward the green haired Espada that he loathed Nnoitra sneered. "Would you like to be next?"

"I have no reason to fight you," Neliel said in a quiet tone of voice, turning away from the arrogant fool. This was a regular occurrence between the two of them. Nnoitra was always attempting to pick a fight with her and Neliel was always refusing to fight. Honestly she grew weary of his persistence and weary of his stupidity.

Fighting wasn't something that she took lightly and she didn't think that others should take it lightly either. Of course she would fight when it was necessary. She would protect herself and she would follow the orders of Aizen-sama but she would not engage in pointless combat. She would not fight just for the sake of fighting.

"I really hate you," Nnoitra snarled as he watched Neliel walking away from him. There was an expression of purest loathing in his eyes as the Number Three Espada walked away from the scene of destruction that he had caused.

"I know," Neliel said, seemingly unbothered by this knowledge. She could care less whether or not Nnoitra liked her.

"Why do you insist on following me everywhere?" Nnoitra demanded, his eyes glowing with purest hatred.

"Because you are weaker than I," Neliel answered simply, her voice as calm as always.

This calm demeanor and insulting words from the woman who refused to fight him only served to fuel Nnoitra's rage and hatred. He vowed that he would grow stronger and one day he would destroy Neliel, if only for the fact that a mere woman should never be able to outmatch a man on the battlefield.

* * *

Neliel was making her way toward the palace of Las Noches, having just returned from a mission for Aizen-sama, when she felt a familiar presence approaching. Unfortunately this was a rather familiar occurrence and as a result of that fact she knew immediately who it was. Without even looking back Neliel effortlessly avoided the attack that was aimed for her back.

Nnoitra growled in frustration as his weapon collided with the sand. Glancing over at his intended target he saw that Neliel stood only a few feet away, a calm expression on her face. This look only served to further fuel his anger and he once again raised his weapon. "So are you ready to fight me now bitch?"

"No," Neliel said calmly, her voice low. She knew that Nnoitra was attempting to be intimidating however she didn't feel the least bit concerned by his threatening stance. "There is still no reason for me to fight you."

"I'll give you a reason," Nnoitra snarled, swinging his weapon toward his comrade.

Once again Neliel effortlessly dodged his attack, landing lightly a few feet away. She gazed at the Number Eight Espada for a few minutes, her expression never changing, and then she turned and continued on her way toward Las Noches.

"I really hate that bitch," Nnoitra growled as he watched Neliel walk away. His free hand clenched into a fist while the hand holding his weapon tightened around the handle. "I swear one day I'm going to get her. One day."

* * *

Nnoitra snarled as Neliel effortlessly blocked his weapon with her sealed katana. He had managed to engage her in combat however she still refused to release her sword and show him her true power. This enraged him as it seemed to say that she did not deem him worthy. She was still holding back.

"You will regret this."

Nnoitra jumped toward Neliel and she blocked the blow however something about her opponent seemed off. The image wavered slightly and it was in this moment that Neliel knew it to be a trap. This realization did not come in time for her to react however and Neliel gasped as she felt an explosion of pain in the back of her head. Neliel felt herself falling toward the ground a second before everything went black.

* * *

Cowering in the sand Nel watched as the Espada repeatedly struck Ichigo, with Ichigo seemingly defenseless and unable to fight back. Tears formed in her eyes as she watched the horror scene unfold before her very eyes. She had grown close to Ichigo since meeting him in the desert outside of Las Noches and she couldn't bear to see him come to harm. She desperately wanted to help him but what chance did she stand against one of the Espada? A member of Aizen's private army.

"Itsygo!" she screamed as she watched the Substitute Shinigami hit the ground, hard.

The sound of Nel's voice didn't seem to help Ichigo in his battle and he continued to be knocked around by Nnoitra, who appeared to be enjoying himself immensely. Seemingly intoxicated by his own power Nnoitra smiled like a maniac as he knocked the Substitute Shinigami around, enjoying his feeling of power.

"Itsygo!" Nel screamed in desperation as Ichigo once again landed on the ground in a crumpled heap. Nnoitra walked toward him and this time it didn't seem as though the orange haired Substitute Shinigami was going to get up. "Itsygo! ITSYGO!"

Consumed by a rage that she could not explain Nel felt herself undergo a strange transformation. Her memories returned in a flash of light and her eyes narrowed as she gazed from Ichigo over to the Espada who had caused her nothing but trouble.

"Nnoitra!"

The voice that was calling out to him now was eerily familiar and the Number Five Espada's eyes widened as he glanced toward the voice and watched as Neliel walked toward him. Not the child version that he had been tormenting earlier but the Number Three Espada version who appeared to have found a reason to fight.

Without another word to her former comrade Neliel walked over to the spot where Ichigo was lying and pulled him into her arms. For a few moments she just held him, assuring herself that he was still alive, and then she gave his care over to the woman, Orihime, and then turned her attention back to Nnoitra.

This time he had gone too far.

"It's alright Ichigo," she thought to herself as her gaze momentarily went back to Ichigo. She would protect this man with everything that she had. He had been kind to her, even though she was an Arrancar, and she would repay that kindness.

She owed him that much.

Nnoitra had been trying to get her to fight him for as long as she had known him but she had never before had a reason. She didn't believe in fighting without a good reason and up until now she'd never had a good enough reason to fight her former comrade.

Everything had changed when he attacked Ichigo. Neliel now had a good enough reason to fight Nnoitra and had found her resolve. She would fight and Nnoitra would regret that he had driven her to this point. Nnoitra had wanted to see her full power and now she had found the resolve to show it to him. He was going to be sorry that he drove her to this point and he would not live to make the same mistake twice.

A/N - I have no idea what possessed me to write this fic but I wanted to so I did. Feel free to review and tell me what you thought. Hitsu-taichou


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